Thames 17th December 1873 My dear Mr.McLean I was at Auckland when your note, relative to the Colours given to our Naval Volunteers was received here - When I first heard of these Colours, the silk had been procured at some cost, and trouble from England, and the Nuns of Auckland were working the Colours. After the trouble taken by these Ladies, I thought it would have seemed ungracious to have ordered the Corps not to accept the gift, but I pointed out to Captain Best, that I thought it unusual for a Naval Corps to have Colours, and that there might be some objection on the part of Government in the matter. He told me that the Naval Brigade when on service in India had carried Colours, and that the Cadet Corps at the Royal Naval College at Greenwich, where he was brought up for the Navy were allowed to carry Colours, and that the Colours were always carried, when any member of the Royal family was present at parade - As I fear an official refusal in the matter would annoy the men, who are mostly the sons of old Colonists and very excellent Volunteers, numbering over 100 men, who regularly attend drill, I venture to hope you will think the matter over, and not sanction an official refusal to the request I have forwarded on the subject till you come here, when perhaps you will kindly see the officers of the Corps if you continue of opinion that the request should be refused. The Corps is not an Artillery Corps but a Volunteer Corps whose members are instructed in gunnery - I do not think there would be any trouble about the Colours in case of the Corps going on Service (as nearly all the men have been willing to do) as the nominal Head Quarters of the Corps could remain here with the Colours, and on occasions of Ceremony only we should have sufficient officers to carry them, if you allow an extra Subaltern officer for the Corps of which it is much in want - Thanking you for your kind confidential note Believe me Yours truly J.B.Cooper